


Evolving Sentiment

by cupidty11



Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Alternate Universe, Eventual ZaDr, Gen, M/M, Other, Small one shots and drabbles, Species Swap
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-05
Updated: 2016-11-06
Packaged: 2018-08-29 04:18:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8475052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cupidty11/pseuds/cupidty11
Summary: Just some rough drabbles and oneshots about the ZaDr species Swap AU





	1. Chapter 1

Dib was tall by irken standards. He had gained the title of “Taller” before his 10th rotation and had remained there. He had always had respect, the ability to do pretty much anything he wanted due simply to his genetics. That was one of many,many advantages to being tall in Irken society. The Empire was open for you.

He was a skilled bio-engineer, a high ranking scientist. He’d been on several exploring crews, part of many top secret projects. Dib had become an elite soldier, fighting in many battles, barely making it out alive in some cases. He’d been apart of the highly classified programs that revolved around the Control Brains, their maintenance.

And he was bored.

People talked about him behind his back. How he skipped and jumped from planet to planet, ship to ship, trying new professions, learning new skills. How he was never satisfied. No matter how much he accomplished. 

Dib was tall enough that he could’ve settled down in some plush pad on some vacation planet and spent the rest of his days sipping the finest sodas, gorging on candy. The highest luxury available to his people could be his easily. And yet he was always reaching for more, like he was searching for something.

So, when the Invaders were announced for Tallest Miyuki’s latest and greatest E&E (Expansion and Exploration) project…and among them stood Taller Dib…his fellow irkens continued to whisper among themselves.

Invading was a occupation that was…prestigious. It wasn’t a matter of height. Such a fact by itself, made it something of legends. To be an Invader you had to excel in every thing irkens were expected to be; strong, cunning, determined, an expert in combat, an excellent scientist, and eager to serve, with your loyalty only to the Empire. And of course, be prepared to face the very real possibility of your demise at the hands of an alien race.

As long as you were able to complete the Invader Training (a very brutal course pushing its entrees to their limit, mentally and physically), you could count yourself among their ranks. They reported directly to the Tallest and were isolated from their people for a long time. 

But, once their mission was complete…they had glory, riches, fame and most importantly, a guaranteed spot in the Irken history data banks, the same ones that were given to each new smeet. You were remembered by the Empire in its vast, forever expanding machine. Not just a mere cog, but a name and face.

Except, Dib didn’t care about any of that. Well, maybe he did on some level. It was ingrained in them from hatching, to desire such glory and greatness. But, mostly he was just bored. He wanted to experience new things. He needed something that would end the numbness he found himself surrounded by.

But, his peers buzzed when his name was called. No one knew what he really wanted or needed. He didn’t either. Not even his hatching mate Gaz or his mentor Membrane knew what he wanted. They also hadn’t been able to convince him to abandon his search. Membrane thought he was crazy. Why would he give everything up just to go to some dirty planet, searching for something that may not even exist? And Gaz, well she was angry. But, that was also just Gaz. She didn’t care what he did. But, she had ordered him not to die or else she would kill him.

Tallest Miyuki smiled down at him. She was a benevolent ruler and had been one of their greatest, longest lasting Tallests. Dib wiggled his antenna, a salute. And she gave him his planet. A tiny holographic image of its mass. Dark blue and brown. Around it spun one moon. Looking at it sent something down his spine. He swallowed back his excitement. A new experience. But, it could very well just be like anything he he’d ever done before. Nice at first but, soon it’d fade to pure boredom again. 

He thanked her and stepped aside to stand with his fellow Invaders who did their best to ignore him. Dib did the same. People didn’t like him. That was alright. He didn’t really like them either.


	2. Chapter 2

“So, who are you really?” Zim asked, slamming his tray down and sitting primly across from Dib, whose own tray was untouched.

“Hi.” Dib replied, dryly.

“Hi.” Zim eyed the other. “So?”

Dib looked the new comer up and down. “You’re Zim, right? Did you know that I’ve had four people approach me just to warn me about you?”

Zim’s eyes narrowed and he flipped around in his seat to glare at the cafeteria as a whole, before spinning his firey glower back on his victim.

“What did they say about me, hmm?” Zim sniffed, crossing his arms.

“That you’re crazy, insane, think you’re better than anyone else, an asshole, weird, always in trouble, a freak. Along with some other stuff that I’m pretty sure are other not very nice words for ‘gay’.”

Zim lifted his chin. Sounded like the usual stuff. “Yeah. And what did you say?”

Dib smirked. “I said, sounds like we would get along.”

“Oh reaaaally? What makes you say that?”

“Nothing of any consequence. I’ve just been referred to with similar terms before.”

Zim felt his entire body stiffen. The back of his mind itched. “What’s your last name?”

“Um, Membrane.”

He zeroed in on the weakness. “Why did that sound so hesitant, Dib?”

“It’s a new last name. Still getting used to it.”

“Huh?”

“My dad got remarried.”

“Men don’t normally take their wife’s name.”

Dib leaned forward, shoving his tray further away from him. “Why do you assume he married a woman?”

Zim’s mouth opened then closed again with a snap.

“I get the impression that you aren’t stunned into silence very often.”

“Urhguh. “ Zim threw his hands in the air. “What was your name before Membrane, then?”

“Why does that even matter?”

Zim was tiny, Dib noted. But, it was hard to focus on that when his mouth was so big, loud and annoying.

“There’s something about you,Dib…something weird. Something…off. And I’m going to figure it out.”

Dib tilted his head to the side, and Zim felt golden eyes burn into him. 

“Good luck.”

Perfect lips curled up into an amused smile. Dib looked so fake, fake, fake! he was a teenager, right? He should have acne and greasy skin. He should look exhausted from lack of sleep and the stress of school, social life and other common teen ailments. But, he was perfect. Flawless. Zim decided that he hated him, simply because of that. 

They held each other’s gaze for a minute. And it was deja vu. It was the universe cementing them into place. It had determined their fate; as strangers destined to meet and destined to be at odds. The universe knew that they would be enemies. And the universe knew they wouldn’t always be.

The bell rang, signalling lunch was over and neither of them had taken a bite. Zim gave his new nemesis one last glare before he stood and stomped away. Dib watched him go and felt…interested, exhilarated? The human was smart. Despite his various faults. Dib would need to watch him. Carefully.


	3. Chapter 3

The planet was called Earth by the native species.

Actually according to his computer, this one tiny dirt ball had thousands and thousands of native species. Insects, mammals, cold blooded creatures, things that lived in the vast oceans. But, the greatest presence was undoubtedly, the ‘humans’.

He pulled as much information as he could from a nearby satellite (although it looked downright ancient) and downloaded it into his data-banks.

They had a vast number of languages as well. But, they didn’t look too difficult to decipher. Many of them had interconnections and similarities with others. He would need to spent a good hour, downloading them all just to be safe.

According to his readings, the humans were spread out across the entire planet. Even in places that seemed downright inhospitable. He decided to settle in a medium sized city in one of the larger continents. It would provide decent observation while still being able to lose himself in the crowds.

Dib had barely touched down on the planet’s surface, crawling out of his Voot and putting his boots on the still warm pavement, when he felt it. He wasn’t sure what ‘it’ was. But, his entire skin felt like it was vibrating, his spooch skipped a few beats before speeding up.

Everything felt off kilter. He stared out into the darkness of the random little neighborhood he’d landed in.

There was something out there.

All of his honed instincts screamed at him. He licked his lips as every nerve ending he had stood on end with a mixture of fear and a familiar curiosity.

But, nothing moved. Dim orange street lights illuminated the circle of houses, green lawns, a slight breeze and insects chirping in the night air.

He was being pulled. But, in every direction.

Something wanted him. Something on this planet was...off.

He shook himself of the bizarre feeling and got to work. Whatever it was...it could wait until he was set up properly.

* * *

 

The computer created his disguise for him.

It scanned through hundreds of images of humans to create a perfectly generic (but not TOO generic) ‘teenage boy’.

Dib activated the device around his wrist that covered his irken visage with a holographic image of his new human alias. He looked at himself up on the computer screen.

It was a bit eerie, watching the human copy his every move. Dib eyed the dark shock of hair, the pale skin, and...and...wait.

That couldn’t be right.

The irken zoomed in on his own face. He felt as if a hand had captured his spooch and was squeezing it until he could hardly breathe. There had to be a mistake, right?

The eyes that stared back at him were brown, golden brown. A color he had come to loathe. Because it represented something absolutely vile about himself.

Dib let the human hologram fade away.

With only slightly shaking hands, he removed the goggles from around his face. The same goggles he’d been wearing with near constancy since Membrane had discovered the tiny smeet’s eye color and quickly hidden them away.

Dib’s real eyes were the same color. Golden brown. A genetic anomaly. A defect. A flaw in Membrane’s otherwise perfect clone.

It wasn’t like Dib was special. All irkens were cloned. But, the fact that he KNEW his dna’s origin made him different.

Membrane could’ve and honestly, should’ve terminated the smeet the second he’d opened his eyes for the first time. He should’ve known that one defect often meant there was more.

But, he hadn’t.

It was something that Dib still found astounding.

The irken broke eye contact with himself, staring down at the bright blue goggles.

And boy, were there more defects.

With a determined huff, he replaced the lenses and shut off the computer screen’s camera.

Enough bemoaning his own bad luck. Time to get to work.

* * *

 

Hours later, he was registered for the local 'high skool'. A place of education. Primitive. But, it would give him very basic access to knowledge and more importantly, a chance to observe some humans up close and personal without seeming too strange. 

Dib had created a permanent record for himself, a birth certificate, social security number, etc. And when he couldn't find anything else to do but wait, he hesitantly decided to lay down and recharge. It had been a long journey here (nearly six months). But, he stared up at the ceiling of his new base and found himself restless. 

It still itched at the back of his mind. How something he had once considered to be so completely isolating...well, now he was on a planet where it was incredibly common. 

And that sensation upon first landing. He'd never felt anything like it before. It had been a humming in the air. It set his teeth on edge. There was something...unnatural out there. But, that couldn't be right,right? Whatever it was though, it had slipped past the high wall of numb boredom that he felt. 

Dib forced himself to relax.  There was plenty of time to explore, to discover. With that thought in mind, his pak clicked into rest mode and he fell unconscious. 

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, there's some like slurs and shit that might come up eventually. But, its all coming from stupid high schoolers who don't know any better and doesn't reflect my own views. So yeah~

Zim was loud. It was impossible to ignore him because of it, but gosh dang it if people didn’t try. Everyone hated him, his voice, his penchant for wearing whatever he wanted and fuck everyone who tried to say that he couldn’t wear a skirt, his ability to completely destroy anything he put his hands on and they hated him because he just didn’t seem to care if they hated him. 

Zim knew he was amazing. The best, really. He was faster, smarter, stronger, more ‘-er’ than anyone else he had ever met before. 

No one dared mess with him. There were those who had tried in the past. Ones who didn’t know any better. Who tried to put Zim in his place, shove him in a locker, give him a wedgie, beat him up, etc. It just ended up with the other person on the floor, most likely bleeding. And Zim, looking as if nothing had ever happened. 

But, every now and then a new kid would come into town and they would have to be warned. They’d be told the weird kid’s whole sordid story. Zim was an orphan, a foster kid who was tossed from house to house because he was crazy and made a game out of it. He had a little ‘brother’ who wasn’t actually his brother, named Gir. Just some special needs kid who had latched onto Zim and against all odds, Zim had latched back onto him, too. And he made sure his brother went with him wherever he might be tossed. 

Zim was really smart. Like. Really, really smart. Like he could’ve already graduated and been attending some ivy league school somewhere if it wasn’t for his criminal record. Also extensive. It contained arson, breaking and entering, forgery, possession of firearms and other deadly weapons and explosives, and he’d been pulled away from fights with people on more than one occasion. 

He had a total of three friends who honestly, probably didn’t want to be considered his friends. Except for maybe Skoodge who was a weirdo anyway. 

The only people who Zim was ever remotely nice to was Red and Purple. They were incredibly popular because of their sheer wealth and charisma. The two of them had apparently been in the same orphanage as Zim, except they had actually gotten adopted. They weren’t brothers, but they had grown up together and been adopted by the same family. 

For some reason, Zim seemed to hero worship the ground they walked on just as much everyone else, except...with ten times more zeal than was necessary or desired. 

What it all narrowed down to though was that Zim was just an unpleasant part of life and people should do their best to stay out of his way.


End file.
